Labyrinth The Goblin King Story
by LadyLier
Summary: "You're . . . him, aren't you? You're the King of the Goblins." He bowed. "Jareth." Why did he do that, telling his name to a human. "I have saved you" he resign to continue. Jareth's point of view of his story with Sarah in Labyrinth and the why he acted like that. Retelling of the classic story.
1. The Goblin King

**A/N: I just started this Fan Fiction stuff, and just read a lot of stories from the talented people over here, if you see anything recognisable here is because I have yet to create something new. This also take lots of scenes from the novelisation of The Labyrinth by A.C.H. Smith.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of this characters or their actions, they all belong to their respective owners. This is made only for fun and to dance our troubles away.**

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><p>Once upon a time (because this how is done) there was a kingdom called The Underground, its king was the King of the Goblins, and he went by the name of Jareth. As King of the Goblins his duty was to take the unwanted kids to his domain.<p>

Jareth was the regent of the The Underground. As King of the Goblins his duty was to take the unwanted kids to his domain. When a human wished a child away, they went to him.

If the wisher asked for a chance to have them back he made them run his labyrinth and reclaim the child. Few were able to do the task, and the ones that fail were sent back to their own world to never see the child again. If the wisher was old enough, they were presented with a crystal ball, a crystal that upon touch could show all the dreams of that person, if they accepted the gift they could achieve all their dreams at the cost of one task in the Labyrinth. If they succeed it they had a choice. Make their dreams true and reclaim the child or live their dreams with no child.

Those that choose the second option were judge unworthy and then turned into goblins at his domain. This grown goblins where to live outside of the Goblin City doing the hard work, and where only summon in case that they were needed for some specific task. This was the laws that the fairy world had upon the Goblin King.

Jareth was bored. With all the time that had passed since he became King less and less children were wished away, so he had more _free _time to spent in his large library, tormenting some of his goblins for fun or walking in his Labyrinth adding and changing fake passages and traps.

When he was in a better mood he talked with the inhabitants of the labyrinth, who sometimes request for him to settle queries between neighbours or to provide them with some magical help for the part of the Labyrinth they guarded. They knew who he was and some of them hid from him, but most of them kept doing their job.

But that particular morning he was in no mood to be surrounded by the poor dumb goblins so he decided to take a trip to the mortal world, he went to his tower where he change into the owl form and travel to the world where the humans existed. He went visiting some of his favourites places of this world: the parks, where people spent their time daydreaming.

"When I grow up I will be a pilot" a young girl said.

"I wish I were already home by now, sweetheart" said a man into a phone

"I could be in this weather for ever" an old man murmured for himself.

"I hope we can find the place. That is the Castle, Merlin, come on" said a girl.

"Do you think she will say yes? I hope she says yes." he heard a boy talking to his friend.

Humans had a way to express their desires out loud, doing this was no threat for them, not like it was with the fairy folk.

"Here, this a perfect place for the castle beyond the Goblin City" said a voice below. Jareth froze, those words were not spoke by a human in a long time. Reaching a tree, his claws hooked on a branch, and he stared at the girl in the glade below.

The girl moved slowly from the trees toward the middle of the park, she was a slim little child, playing dress up with her dog, but there was something on her that look off, she had pale skin and dark long hair.

"Give me the child" she said and he was almost ready to respond to her.

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City, to take back the child you have stolen." The words where the correct ones to reclaim a child. Could she knew them?

"For my will is as strong as yours . . . and my kingdom as great . . ."

She close her eyes trying to remember something, a thunder rumbled and then she repeated:

"My will is as strong as yours… And my kingdom as great . . . Oh, damn" she muttered.

She reach under her cloak and took a little red book. The title The Labyrinth.

She read the words "You have no power over me . . ." Those were the words, Jareth almost felt like she could stop his powers right there.

With another thunder she took the book and hid it again, closing her eyes she repeated the dreadful words several times.

"You have no power over me" at the last one a clock above the pavilion in the park chimed seven times and remove her from concentration.

"Oh, no" she said. "I don't believe it. That was seven, wasn't it? It's not fair!" She scream and then started to run outside of the park.

It had been an interesting day, and as he returned to the real castle beyond the real Goblin City he thought of the girl that was playing dress up as a Labyrinth champion and it amuse him to know she wouldn't stand a chance.

He became king at only 89 years old, his father had died of an old battle wound and the court and council help Jareth to take the Underground as his, at first he was very interested in doing the works of the Labyrinth King, taking the children and tricking the unworthy was his job.

After several decades the court urge him to take a wife, but he wasn't able to find a match so he declined all the offers that came upon him. Because of this the court and the council decided that it was best to leave the King only to his Goblin City and his subjects to see if he could understand the importance of taking a Queen.

Once or twice over his rule he had champions reclaiming their children, but the last one had died long ago in the mortal world leaving only one memory. A book about the untold dangers and the unnumbered hardships that the Labyrinth had. Being of the Fay world the King wasn't able to reach the book to see what the champion had written; he remembered his child, a red haired baby, that in her time there, became very fond of one particular funny goblin. Once he had learned about the book, Jareth took all his power to change every bit of the Labyrinth in the event that someone would read it and learn all its secrets. An now he had seen the book.

The next day passed without a note to take, even the goblins were bored so they all clutch together trying to see if they finally could find a human to slip the words to wish a child away.

Jareth was in the library when a goblin knock on the door and pass through it.

"Master, master, your highness king" said the goblin. He used to be a fat 4 year old that was wished away by his posh father because he broke something or another.

"What is it?" Jareth respond without taking his eyes of the book he had.

"We have a new one King, a boy Tobs"

So a new child had been wish away. It had been a long time since that happened.

"Show me who" Jareth commanded

The little goblin gave him a parchment with some info of the new arrival

_Name: Toby Williams._

_Age: 1 year old._

_Wished away by: Sarah / Half-Sister._

_Reason: Can't fulfil her dreams._

Ok then, to see this human about her dreams and her child.

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><p><strong>AN: I'm just starting this thing. So reviews are much accepted so I can improved.**


	2. What's said is said

Jareth went out to his throne room where the new arrival was already in custody of the goblins, he touch his forehead to set the destination of his house and prepared to go face this Sarah girl.

Taking his owl form he arrived at a victorian neighbourhood. In the mortal world it was still the same night and the same rain he had seen the girl and the dog on.

"Toby" he heard her call. Because his goblins were already there he could hear what was happening in the scene, it was in this moments when the two worlds could collide. The bond could take a little to be completed but it had started already.

Still in his owl form he tried to open the french window that the house had, he was able to see the human inside but the image was not clear. He tried to open the window again, damn it was easy when this were made of less durable material.

The bond between the worlds was almost finish and he was able to see with clarity the inside of the room and the girl. To his surprise this was the same girl that was in the park playing dress up. He started directly at her eyes and she directly to his. She had big green eyes.

The bond was complete, the goblins felt this and move around the room in joy, she turned back and he was able to concentrate in opening the window with magic and entering the room.

Sarah turn again and saw him entering, she scream and put her arms around her face. While he converted again into his normal form she stood there trying to calm herself. He, on the other hand, tried to look imposing, while his mind could only think: This girl has the power to stop me. What am I doing here? She put her hands down and stare at him.

"Um." she said clearing her throat. "Who are you?"

"Don't you know?" He said, trying to see if he could figure out this girl.

She stood there, white blouse and blue jeans, long dark hair and a pale skin. Another lightning came and he saw her face more defined. This was no girl, he thought, this was a woman or a young woman. In any case not a girl.

He took a step forward to her to see more clearly her face, she did not retreat, there was something different about this girl, this woman, he couldn't figure it quite right.

" I . .." she answered. " I . . ."

It was pleasant seeing her there trying to find the right words, he smiled and she gave a strange look at him.

"You're . . . him, aren't you? You're the King of the Goblins."

He bowed. "Jareth." Why did he do that, telling his name to a human.

"I have saved you" he resign to continue. "I have liberated you from those bonds that distressed you and frightened you. You're free now, Sarah."

"Oh, no. I don't want to be free" she answered. "I mean, I do, but – I want my little brother back. Please." She gave him a tiny smile. "If it's all the same to you."

Jareth folded his hands on the top of his cane. "What said is said"

"But I didn't mean it," Sarah replied quickly.

"Oh! You didn't?"

"Oh, please. Where is he?"

Jareth chuckled, she had wish him away, she new the book. "You know very well where he is."

"Please bring him, back, please." She said in a child voice "Please!"

"Sarah . . ." Jareth frowned, and shook his head. Was she a girl or a child? His expression was all concern for her. "Go back to your room. Read your books. Put on your costumes. That is your real life. Forget about the baby."

"No, I can't." she defied

They stood there becoming adversaries, he tried to see what was different about her. And she tried to figure out this king who took her brother away.

She was no child, she was a grown woman, she wanted her dreams, he needed to offer her dreams and see if she was unworthy.

With a flip of his hand he generate a crystal and presented it to her. "I've brought you a gift, Sarah," he said, holding it out to her.

Sarah stood still, then she said "What is it?"

"A crystal, nothing more. Except that if you put it this way, look into it . . . it will show you your dreams."

Sarah look at the crystal with amaze, Jareth smile, she was going to take it, she was going to ask for all her dreams come true at the cost of just one task in the Labyrinth. He pass the crystal from one hand to another and she make one step forward to him. Jareth look at her face and to her eyes, at that moment he saw… she was young, she look more like a child. Was he making a mistake? He had to make sure. He smile.

"But this is not a gift for an ordinary girl, one who takes care of a screaming baby." Still trying to figure if she was a girl or a woman, he asked, almost as a pledge. "Do you want it, Sarah?" He held it out toward her again.

This time her hands remained by her sides, and she made no answer. Her eyes were fixed on the dancing, flashing glints of the crystal. What was she thinking?

"Then forget about the baby" he said firmly.

She slowly began to answer. "I – I can't. It isn't that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do for me . . . but I want my baby brother back. He must be so scared . . ."

So, she declined, Jareth snorted, well then maybe she was just a child that wish away his brother, but she new the words, he couldn't let her try his Labyrinth. Another strategy then: scare her.

He change the crystal of dreams into a snake and said: "Sarah. Don't defy me" Then he threw the snake to her.

Sarah scream and try to remove the thing, quickly it became a scarf and felt down to become a little goblin, that one was a trickster, he was 2 years old when he was wished away.

"You are no match for me, Sarah." Jareth make himself sounded impatient.

"I can't do what you want. Can't you see that? I must have my brother back."

"You will never find him."

"Ah," Sarah said, and took a deep breath. "Then . . . there is a place to look."

Damn it! He had to be more carefully with this human, she was asking the right questions and that was just the way to stop his power and the power of the Labyrinth. Sarah notice the way Jareth's face change, she took one step further and straighten her face.

"Yes," he finally said. "There is a place."

Going to the window he pointed outside, with the bond between the worlds she was be able to see his castle.

"There!"

She stood there watching the castle, looking to all the magnificence of its work. Jareth walked just to her shoulder and whisper to her: "Do you still want to look for him?"

At the moment Sarah replied: "Yes"

At this, Jareth transported both to the farthest hill inside his realm, she was going to start the quest there was not doubt now.

After a moment she said "Is that.. The castle beyond the Goblin City?"

There most be a way to stop her, maybe one last try. She turned back and saw in shock that they were not on her home anymore.

"Turn back, Sarah. Turn back, before it is too late." He said in a low voice.

"I can't. Oh, I can't. Don't you understand that?" She shook her head slowly, gazing at the distant castle, and to herself, quietly, repeated, "I can't."

So this was the point of no return. "What a pity." he said, more to himself but Sarah heard him.

She was looking to the castle and said "It doesn't look that far" trying to sound brave.

Jareth walked until he was just a few inches from Sarah's face. "It's farther that you think"

She jump and look at his face, the eyes she had were strong, green and full of… what. Wonder? Dreams? Fear? Envy? Reality? He couldn't know.

Pointing at the tree he had behind he added "And time is shorter" At this moment a big wooden clock appeared. It had the 13 hours of the Underground.

"You have thirteen hours to unriddle the Labyrinth," Jareth told her, "before your baby brother becomes one of us. Forever."

And before Sarah could reply or ask more of him he started to vanish.

"What a Pity" He saw Sarah heard him once more, but at that moment he had reappeared far at the entrance of the labyrinth.

"Hogsnich" he called.

A little man showed his head and responded. "Your Majesty… emm is Hoggle"

"Yes" He respond not giving importance to his name "We have a new guest, her name is Sarah, so do your job and guard this entrance"

With this he returned to his throne room where Toby and the goblins where playing some sort of bowl with the black chickens. It looked like fun. But Jareth's mind was still in the eyes of Sarah, and his thoughts were for the correct question she asked him.

He went to his library to see if he could find anything about the information the humans had of his labyrinth, but not much was documented, after an hour had pass he made a flick of his hand and called for a crystal to show him where the girl was. He could see she was at the entrance of the Labyrinth where the dwarf was already talking with her.

"What do you expect fairies to do?" He heard Hogming said.

"I ..." Sarah was frowning, her hand in her mouth and looking hurt. "I thought they did – well, nice things. Like granting wishes."

"Ha!" The dwarf laugh. "Shows what you know then, don't it?"

Jareth could rest a little. If she was going to pass his labyrinth she needed to have the right vision. And thinking fairies granted wishes was furthest from the truth as thinking Junk people could giving up willingly some of their treasures.

Jareth smile and took Toby into his arms.


	3. Humans and Fairies

**A/N: Thank you for your patience here is the third chapter of this story. Hope you like it! Review if you have any comments or questions. Jareth likes to read. **

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><p>Toby was different from Sarah, half-brother, he remembered, but there was something more different between them than just blood. His eyes were amber and the baby's skin was just as pale as Sarah's, he had a red-and-white striped pijamas and his hair was yellow. Jareth once had the thought that one day he could end up with a goblin that had better wits than the rest, and that he'll stay by his side to give him some companionship, maybe better tricks, and a good conversation, but in time, as less children were wish away, the thought had vanish.<p>

Sometimes Jareth missed the company of his court but immediately he remembered how they treated him and he was glad he only had the goblins. Fay people could get rather tedious. He looked at the baby, this Toby didn't seem like the the rest of the children he had before, he looked more intelligent. Jareth saw the goblins playing with the baby, it didn't look like he care about the little monsters, he looked happy.

He realised he had been rambling in his own thoughts for almost an hour. Sarah. He thought, and then pulling out a crystal ball he saw her, running, almost screaming, he smiled, she had pass 2, 3 passages now to enter the labyrinth and didn't saw any. If she was like this, he would just had to wait.

He looked around to see all the mess his goblins had made, everything in his throne room was grotesque and gloomy, and nobody care, not even him, it had been a long time since he cared for the looks inside the castle. All sort of goblins were there, small ones with horns, tall and skinny, or fat and grumpy but they were all ugly and messy, there were pieces of food and rotten vegetables all around the floor and some chickens were flying here and there because the tricksters send them away with catapults made of big spoons stolen form human kitchens.

Another part of chaos on his throne room was the fact that the goblins laugh at everything, and we mean everything, if someone stumble, they laugh, if they were getting hurt, they laugh, if a chicken squawk, they laugh, there was just one thing they didn't laugh immediate and this was when Jareth spoke, they were smart enough to not laugh at what Jareth said always. But sometimes one goblin laugh and then the rest of them follow, their king was a very funny person, or he used to be.

Jareth stood from his throne and leave again to his library, he couldn't understand what was so different on the girl and on the baby and he was determined to find it out. His library had a section on humans. The books were really old and most of them talked about the old times when the fairy world was more in touch with the human's. He had read the majority of the books in there, they all had the same themes: about how the humans needed the fairies for their magic or how the human people were inferior beings, themes like how they live for so little time, and some even talked about humans living among fay.

He didn't know what he was looking for, he started to walk in all the corridors, reading the titles of the books, tying to find something that could help him understand what was different in this humans. The description of "human" in the consensus of his collection was of _a being of fairy form that lack of magical powers with the ability to express their desires without converting it into their own fate. _

He spotted a tall book he didn't remember reading, he reach for it and read the title "_The real connection between the Humans and the Fay_" opening to the first page he read: "_Humans are, as we know, magical beings_" That was odd, the first thing everybody learn about humans was that they had in fact no power at all. Jareth search for the author's name, but it was no where to be found, he took a comfortable seat and started reading.

He found out that long, long, long ago there had been a balance with the two kingdoms made as allies. One was rule by the Fairy Queen and the other kingdom was ruled by the Human King.

Back then subjects were no physically different from each other, both had magic and where aware of this fact, Jareth wasn't sure if humans still had magic within them but he was sure of one thing, they definitely needed the fay to make their wishes true. There where three ways of granting them: If the Fay was willing, if it was a Fay duty to full fill the wish or if the Fay had been imprisoned. That was why humans where really, well, dangerous, he didn't like to admit that humans could overpower him but that was true.

The book had many stories about how the rulers of both kingdoms had humans and fay in their court as counsellors and advisors. Because of the way each had their magic the balance worked perfect. Humans had a magic that was more internal and came from their will, Fay people had a magic that surround them and came from their emotions.

It never occurred to him to have a human as his companion. He could chose to leave Toby as a human, make him his advisor and maybe the Labyrinth could be a more bearable place.

He returned to his throne with this tough on his mind. To get Toby he needed to make sure his sister didn't succeeded in her task. Calling a crystal ball he asked to saw Sarah, she was now in the internal stone maze, she was using something weird to draw in the floor an arrow. When she rose and turn, a tailless monkey who lived under the maze open the brick and turn it upside down, now the arrow was not visible. Jareth found this amusing, she was smart and learnt quickly. He saw Sarah meeting a dead end and return to where her arrow must've been.

"Someone's been rubbing out my marks," she said, loudly "What a horrid place this is! It's not fair!"

"That's right," a voice behind her said. "It's not fair!"

She had arrive at the Cards Doors. She probably would give up there, that trick question was so ancient, the small amount of people who arrive there waste the rest of their time trying to figure the answer: Two doors. One of them leads to the castle and the other one leads to certain death. The wisher can ask one question and only to one guardian. One guardian always tells the truth, and the other guardian always lies. It was a great scheme to end their quest there.

Jareth sat lounging in his draped throne, one leg up the arm of the chair, he was moving his cane up and down on his foot, reflexing on what he had read. Toby was still in the middle of the room. Although he was meant to guard the children while the wisher fight the labyrinth he usually never stay with them, he always remembered each one of them but it was accustom for the Goblin King to send them with the goblins to one chamber, only to return to them when the wisher achieved or fail. But this time, he felt the need to stay with Toby Williams.

Toby started to cry, even thought he had fun with the goblins he was now getting anxious about not having near his parents or his sister. Jareth notice the little boy, he move both his hands and created a crystal, he threw it to the air and in the middle of the room a big yellow light was created, different colour lights started dancing all around the room making Toby and, lets said it, the goblins to shut up and look in amaze all the lights. Then an upbeat music start accompany the lights and the goblins started to dance. Jareth took Toby in his hands and start bouncing him from one part of the room to another.

This magic dance help Toby to clam down, Jareth looked hopefully at the clock. Half past three. "In nine hours and twenty-five minutes you'll be mine" He said to the boy, the lights went on for a little more, now without music. Most of the goblins lost interest and went to steal objets in the human world. The ones that took care of the children came to take Toby, probably to eat or to sleep, Jareth was never sure.

The King was left in his throne only with some of the goblins that tent to follow him everywhere. With his mind clear again the only thing in it was Sarah. Stoping Sarah. Once more he summon a watching crystal ball. He saw her falling trough the Helping Hands. So she had pass the Doors test, and quickly by the look of it.

"Come on! Come on!" an impatient voice urged her. "We haven't got all day."

"Well it's a big decision for her," said a sympathetic one. "Which way do you want to go?" Ah! the question that will make her retreat. She surly will chose up. Humans tent to choose light over darkness. Going up she would walk straight to the beginning of the Labyrinth and then surly she would gave up.

"Come on! Come on!" the voices urge her. Everyone in the Labyrinth was so peremptory. They had to, making the wishers think fast revealed their true self either making the good decisions or the wrong ones. And it helped to make them give up.

"Well, er . . ." Sarah still hesitated. She took a deep breath. "Well, since that's the way I'm pointed . . . I'll go down."

"She chose down?" He heard the hands exclaiming. He was thinking the same expression, she chose down. Jareth couldn't believe this, she didn't knew what was down, why did she chose down?

"Was I wrong?" Sarah inquired.

"Too late now," said one of the hand faces. They begin to take her down, to more darkness, he saw her falling, Jareth was still troubled by her answer. Why down? She could go up, to light, she had pass the Doors question too fast. She was intelligent, the path the Labyrinth gave her was harder than ever and she still manage to pass it so quickly. Maybe the intelligent companion he could keep was not Toby after all.

She fell. "She's in the oubliette," Jareth reflected to himself, one goblin burst into laughter and the rest follow.

"Shut up" Jareth told them "She shouldn't have gotten as far as the oubliette."

The face of Sarah was all he could see in the crystal, her determination was extraordinary.

"She should have given up by now."

"She'll never give up," said a keen goblin.

"Ha." Jareth laughed mirthlessly. "Won't she? She'll give up soon enough when she realise she has to start all over again."

She was too close, with the right indication she could get to his castle in less than 3 hours and he wouldn't allow it. He stared at her face, Sarah looked like an ordinary human, but her eyes, green as emeralds, said something different. She should stay with him, they way she was understanding the Labyrinth and the way she was facing it was the things he lack off. He was tired after all this years of just confronting the humans. Maybe the book was right, maybe humans and fay could create bigger things. But, alas, she was the wisher, he couldn't keep her. She was to old to be a goblin and not old enough to be trial as unworthy. Sarah would had to chose to stay there, the thought of confirming there was no way to keep her by command angry him.

A humming in the back of his head return him to reality. Humans and Fay can not be equals. He was Goblin King and he had a duty to obey. Keeping Toby was again his goal.

"Hoggle" he called, he was perfect for this work. Sarah's face vanish and in her place the dwarf one appeared. This creature was one of the most despicable ones, he hated human and fay equally "She's in the oubliette," Jareth said. "Get her back to the outer walls."

Hoggle grunt. "She's quite determined, your Majesty. It won't be an easy –"

"Do it." Jareth flipped the crystal into the air, and when it return to this hand Sarah's face was again on it.

"She will soon give up" He grinned at the crystal feeling the emptiness around him.

"Well. Laugh" he commanded to his goblins.

They started to laugh so loudly his mind went away from the girl to the tall book he had read and all the rest of things he still had to learn about.

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><p><strong>AN: This scenes where a lot of fun to rewrite, I love how I manage to bring the Magic Dance Scene, What do you think? Cheers **


	4. Piece of cake

**A/N: Here we have Chapter 4. What do you think? Thank you for the reviews :) They really make my day and encourage me to write more! Hope you enjoy reading this as I enjoyed writing it. **

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><p>He hated oubliettes, they were so difficult to keep track of, once the wisher fell there they easily slip away from his mind and it was always an unpleasant surprise when they went out and pop into existence only to interrupt his reading or any other activities (Not that he enjoy a lot of them) Or in other cases after some amount of time, the child that was in his care transform into a goblin confirming that their wisher stayed and would stay there forever.<p>

He even asked himself why had he led Hoggle to take the girl away from it, the answer was of course because she was sharp, there was no doubt that she would've find the right exit from there. It was better to send the dwarf there, Hoggle was hideous, surely he would find a way to scare the girl and take her away. Wouldn't he?

He had to be sure. He had to.

He was starting to forget about what, though, when a goblin said "Ain't she a nice little lady. Ain't she?"

Without thinking about it he summoned a crystal ball, and call for the oubliette, in there Hoggle was already with Sarah.

"I knows you were going to get into trouble soon as I mets you. So I – I've come to give you a hand."

Sarah was looking about her, realising there was nothing there, but she did notice the one wooden bench.

"Oh, she's looking around now, is she?" Hoggle scorn in sarcasm. "I suppose the little miss has noticed there ain't no doors – just the hole"

"This," Hoggle continue, "is an oubliette. The Labyrinth's full of them."

Sarah gave a surprise nod. "Really?" she replied, matching his sarcasm. "Didn't know that"

"Don't try to sound smart," he told her. "You don't know what an oubliette is."

"Do you?"

"Yes," Hoggle said, with a touch of pride. "It's a place you put people to forget about them."

"Is… is that what he wants for me, to just rot in here? I have a quest to finish you know. He challenge me! It's not fair!"

Again with that phrase. Jareth was really amuse that she thought she could determined what was fair and what was not.

Hoggle grab the light and point to a corner, so Sarah could see the skeleton. Jareth saw she gasp but quickly she silent her scream and just stare eyes wide open.

"You see?" Hoggle was squinting up at her. "This Labyrinth is a dangerous place. No place for a little girl."

She remove her face from the corner and looked at him. Her eyes now narrow with disbelief. Was he calling her a little girl? she thought. "But I must find my baby brother." she said.

"Forget all that. Now it so happens," Hoggle said, scratching his cheek with a forefinger, "that I knows a shortcut out of the whole Labyrinth from here."

"No," she said at once. "I'm not giving up now. I've come too far. I've doing ok"

Hoggle looked at her nervously, and said "You've been wonderful, but this is only the edge of the Labyrinth. You've hardly started. From here on in, it gets worse. Horrible. Disaster"

This probably wouldn't work, Jareth thought, and after looking into Sarah suspicious face he knew it was not going to work.

"Why are you so concerned about me?" she asked Hoggle.

"What?" Hoggle sounded aggrieved. "I am. That's all. Nice young girl . . . terrible black

oubliette . . ."

"Listen," Sarah interrupted him, "you like jewellery, don't you?"

He pursed his face. "Why?" he asked slowly.

"You've got some very nice pieces." She pointed to the chain of ornaments dangling from his belt. Jareth had always hated that about the dwarfs, they where so easily bought if any had enough glitter to give to them.

"Thank you," he said proud.

"If you'll help me through the Labyrinth . . ." She took a break. ". . . I'll give you . . ." she slipped a bracelet off her hand. ". . . this." she concluded, holding it out to him.

Oh! She was cunning, she was smart and she knew how to win an alliance.

"Hm." Hoggle licked his lips and eyed the bracelet appraisingly.

"You like it, don't you?" She put the bracelet closer to the dwarf face. Jareth could see Hoggle looking up and down and to the jewellery.

"So-so," he said finally. "Tell you what. You give me the bracelet and here's what I'll do. I'll show you the way out of the whole Labyrinth. How's that?"

"You were going to do that anyway" she pointed out.

"Yes," he replied. "That's what would make it a particularly nice gesture on your part." He held his hand out.

"Oh, no!" Sarah withdrew the bracelet abruptly. "For this you must show me the way in. The whole way."

Hoggle snorted. "What makes the little miss so certain I knows my way through it?" Hoggle was taking this personal, he had forgotten now that this was a job. And he was giving the worst performance in his live.

"Well," she answered, "you got here, didn't you?"

"What?" Hoggle clucked, shaking his head. "Yes, yes, but . . . I told you, this is just the fringe of it all. You've got nowhere yet. Come on, where's your common sense? You don't want to go farther than this. Really. You've done all you can, and more. You have proved you're a smart, brave girl, and you don't deserve what would become of you in here." He glanced pointedly at the skeleton, "No, no, you deserve to be saved from that terrible fate. I'll say that much for you. So – how about it?" He look at her trying to be trustworthily.

Jareth observed Sarah's reaction to this, she was not buying one bit about Hoggle wanting to help her from the bottom of his heart. For all he know she had already figure a way out of there and was now only playing with the dwarf.

"I'll tell you what," she said, narrowing her eyes. "If you won't take me all the way through the Labyrinth, just take me as far as you can. And then I'll try to do the rest of it myself."

He looked at her and to the bracelet. "Er… What is this, anyway?"

"Plastic." She said uninterested, Jareth notice that the bracelet clearly meant noting to her.

Sarah dangled the bracelet before his eyes. "Fair deal," she offered. "No strings. One bracelet. Hmm? How about it?"

Jareth fell a thump in his stomach, the way she was toying with Hoggle was no different form the way he offered her her dreams. And she thought that what she was doing was fair.

Hoggle hesitated for a moment and then raise his arm for Sarah to put the bracelet onto his wrist.

"I don't promise nothing," he said. "But" he grunted resignedly and speak with a really low voice "I'll take you as far as I can. Then you're on your own. Right?"

"Right," Sarah agreed.

He nodded. His eyes were still shining as he looked at the bracelet on his wrist. "Plastic!" he murmured, thrilled.

"Come on, then," Sarah urged him.

Oh! that bloody, worthless, traitorous, worm, he would hear him about this, that was a Stench Bogging sentence right there.

He watch Hoggle pulling the bench up and creating the door out of the oubliette; Jareth wiggle his hand and make a lot of broomsticks and buckets fell onto the dwarf. He was still King of the Goblins and had the best jokes and tricks ever, that one was ancient; it even was in the human world.

"Oh, damn!" Hoggle said, opening the door to the other side "Can't be right all the time, can we?" he muttered.

"This is it," he told her. "Come on, then."

Jareth look at them going away of the hole. He had to fix this. He vanish and reappeared on the point where the heads ended.

He didn't had to wait long, he started hearing the callings, he was proud of the Screaming Faces, they did their job very well, once the wisher had arrive there they gave everything to scare anyone that pass trough there.

"Take heed and go no farther!" he hear the Faces scream.

"Beware! Beware!" Closer.

"It will soon be too late!" They would arrive very soon, he trow a crystal ball to warn him when they were close.

"Oh, beware!" he hear a Face scream. "For –" he was cut off.

"Oh, please," the face begged to someone. "I haven't said it for such a long time. You've no idea what it's like, stuck here in this wall, and with –"

Good old faces, doing their job, he will remember to reward this one.

"All right," he hear Hoggle talk. "But don't expect us to take any notice."

"Oh, no, of course not!" It cleared its throat. "For the path you take will lead you to certain destruction!" It paused. "Thank you very much" it added politely.

They where really close, the crystal started to move around and rolled behind Sarah and Hoggle, Jareth make a quick snap with his fingers and disguise himself as a beggar. And for fun a blind beggar.

"Oh oh!." He heard Sarah exclaim. And then he saw Hoggle gasping and stoping, he became one with the wall in front of Jareth.

The ball rolled over and hop into Jareth's well.

"Ah! What have we here?" he asked with a squeak voice. He was doing this for pure amusement, the faces both of them had were so funny, Hoggle looked terrified and Sarah look scare, there was no denying that. Brave girl. Ha! She was scare of the crystal, she was scare of him, he had to act terrifying.

"Uh, nothing," Hoggle spluttered, to scare to move.

"Nothing? Nothing? Nothing?! NOTHING?! Tra la la" He rose, Hoggle was going to have a very bad time right now. He removed the beggar clothes and wiggle them to the dwarf's face.

Hoggle was frozen. Sarah gasped confirming who he was.

"Your Majesty . . ." Hoggle bowed. It was a big bow and he stumble to the floor.

"What . . .," he swallowed, and smiled haggardly, "what . . . what a nice surprise."

"Hello, Hedgewart," he said smiling as if he just bump him in a casual meeting.

"Hogwart," Sarah corrected him. Ha! Sarah was playing the same game. He was not paying attention to her, she needed to know she meant nothing to him.

"Hoggle," Hoggle said, gritting his teeth.

"Hoggle," Jareth said, in a kindly conversational voice, "Can it be that you're helping this girl?" he allow himself for a quick glance at Sarah, who didn't look scare now, she seem defying everything that was around her.

"Helping?" Hoggle prevaricated. "In what sense? Uh . . ."

"In the sense that you're leading her towards the Castle" Jareth said raising his tone but still very calm.

"Oh," Hoggle replied. "In that sense."

"Well?."

"Oh, no, no, no! I was leading her back to the beginning. You Majesty" Jareth made another glance to Sarah. How would she react to this open treason?

"What!" Sarah exclaimed. Eyes open and Jareth thought she personally would send Hoggle to the Bog of Eternal Stench.

"I told her I was going to help her unriddle the Labyrinth – a little trickery on my part . . ." He guffawed and gulped. "But actually . . ."

Jareth smile, finding the way to torment the poor dwarf. He bend over to his level.

"What's this plastic think around your wrist?" He said being really disgusted by it.

"Now this? I . . .he he he…" Hoggle looked at the bracelet, he hid it behind his back, realising the mistake he had just made. He brought back his arm to the front and looked at it like trying to remember how the plastic arrived to his hand. "Oh! My goodness where did this ever come from?"

"Higgle," Jareth spoke levelly.

Hoggle repeated his name correctly "Hoggle"

"Yes" Said Jareth as if he had said it correctly the first time."If I thought for one second that you were betraying me, I would be forced to suspend you headfirst in the Bog of Eternal Stench."

He got near to Hoogle to show him a real treat. He was also trying to make a point, about what happens if you betray his commands. Which was in a manner true, he was King and if his subjects betray him, there should be consequences.

"Oh, no, your Majesty." Hoggle's knees were wobbling. "Not the Eternal Stench."

"Oh, yes, Hoggle." He was tired of the dwarf, he push him to the floor.

Jareth turned and smiled at Sarah.

"And you, Sarah" he walked towards her. The proximity he had waited to have was there, he could see perfectly her face, her eyes, he tried to see some magic, like the book had said but he didn't feel it.

"How are you enjoying my Labyrinth?" He ask cornering her with one arm in the wall where she stand.

Sarah swallowed. She looked down, closed her eyes, took a deep breath and look up, directly into the Goblin King eyes.

At this moment Jareth felt the pendant on his chest heating up, then she said "It's a piece of cake"

She didn't look scare, or defying, she look like if she owned the place. Jareth raised one elegant eyebrow. She had ask for a challenge, a place to look for his brother, and what had she said in the oubliette, that she had a quest to full fill. Well if she wanted to have it, she needed to be the champion on his labyrinth.

Sarah was no longer scare of his labyrinth, she could arrive without the help of Hoggle, He wouldn't allow it.

"Really?" Jareth said with genuine curiosity. "Then how about upping the stakes. Mhh?

Without removing his eyes from her, he rose one hand and pointed to the air, the thirteen-hour clock appeared.

4:40

Then he started moving his hand in circles, eyes fix on her. This make the handles move faster.

5:15

Sarah had her eyes wide open not understanding what was happening.

5:40

Jareth was making a big effort of his magic by moving the time of all the Underground.

6:00

She was having it to easy, she wanted a challenge. She ask for that.

6:20

The pendant was hotter in his skin.

6:40

He turned to see the clock, he had never done this to any other wisher. What was his urge to have this one to fail? Was it the fact that she was so close?

7:00

The boy she called brother, he had so much potential, he could be kept as human and then….

7:30

"That's not fair," Sarah finally stated. He hear it as an eco.

7:40

Jareth felt the pendant burning his skin. "You say that so often." He said removing himself from the trance of moving and entire world 3 hours forward "I wonder what your basis for comparison is."

He walked away form Sarah, he was tired and didn't want them to see this, he move to the shadows. She was standing tall almost as she was the one judging him and not the other way around.

"So, the Labyrinth is a piece of cake, is it?" Jareth laughed thinking of the best way to discourage the girl, or even finish her for real.

"Well, now lets see how you deal with this little slice." He called for a crystal ball with both his hands, the last time he needed two hands to do this was really really long ago, and tossed it to the tunnel in front of them.

A big metal noise started coming from the end of the tunnel, Jareth turned around and vanish. This time directly to his chambers.

The Cleaners. They weren't really an obstacle for the wishers, they were merely to really clean after them, or after a long time that no one had reach to get there. But under the circumstances those were the best option to match Sarah Williams.

Jareth removed his pendant, it was still burning. On a second thought it was even glowing, a golden glow was coming from it and a heat he had never felt before. He had to put a pin on that to investigate later, right now he was to tired. He had made all his world change, three hours in advance may not be a lot in a 13 schedule but if you have to move three hours for all your subjects and your maze it really is tired.

Jareth collapse in his bed and immediately fall asleep.


End file.
